


Joy

by alecmagnuslwb



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Clary really hates Christmas music, F/F, Fluff, a christmas in july fic during august
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:54:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alecmagnuslwb/pseuds/alecmagnuslwb
Summary: Clary works in a year-round Christmas shop where Joy to the World plays every time someone enters the store. She hates it so much, until one day Maia walks in and she starts to understand the meaning of joy.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Maia Roberts
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Joy

**Author's Note:**

> Writer’s month day 30, prompt: Joy

Working in a year-round Christmas shop you’d assume Clary’s least favorite month was December. The last four shopping weeks of the holiday season a particular sort of hell. Which is true they are a specific circle of hell that she’s sure is used as a torture device down below, but July is so much worse.

Clary’s not sure who came up with the Christmas in July trend, but she’d like to find them and if they’re not already dead kill them. December she gets, even if it’s exhausting, peace on earth and all that jazz, but July is nothing. July is a hot, sticky, sweaty mess that forces her to hear Joy to the World play every time someone comes through the door five months earlier than anyone should have to suffer through that track.

They’ve barely been open two hours and at least two dozen customers have come through door, a waking nightmare for her.

“Smile little elf!” her boss says passing by as the door opens once again. Clary puts on a fake smile tugging at the elf costume she has to wear five days a week, one day she’s going to convince her boss to either drop the costume entirely or at least let her wear a summer vacation version of it when it’s eighty plus degrees outside.

“JOY TO THE WORLD!” The door sounds again the chorus of voices that haunt Clary’s dreams loudly announcing the arrival of another customer. Clary’s amps her fake smile up a few notches holding back the desire to break the door off its hinges. She looks up ready to greet another sorry bastard celebrating Christmas in July and freezes.

There’s a strong chance that the prettiest girl in the entire world just walked into their shitty little store. Her fake smile drops into a real one as the woman smiles back at her immediately turning and heading for the ornaments section. Clary, trying not to be creepy, watches her go looking at the strong line of her arms, the bounce of her hair and her long bare legs because everyone except for Clary gets to wear shorts right now.

Eventually she’s out of sight and Clary for the first time in the two years she’s been working there actively decides to go help a customer without being asked. She ducks down checking her reflection in the candy cane framed mirror by the cash register. She moves her bangs around, runs fingers under her eyes to catch any melted eye liner and adjusts the pointy green and red hat on her head. She shrugs at her image; she looks as good as someone in a dorky elf costume on 93-degree weather day in July can.

She heads back following the line of reindeer that lead to the vast wall of ornaments and finds the pretty girl scanning the entire wall looking a little overwhelmed. She can’t blame her, they have somewhere in the ballpark of 250 different ornament styles any given day.

She clears her throat, the girl spinning around with a smile.

“Hi, I’m Clary, can I help you find something specific today?” she says putting a little less fake customer service kindness into her voice than she usually would.

“Maia,” the pretty girl says then turns back to the wall. “And yes, I could definitely use some help.”

Clary steps forward standing beside her and gesturing at the wall.

“Well, first things first, is the ornament a gift or for your own collection?” Clary asks. She hopes the answer is gift. If it’s a gift there’s a chance Maia is pretty and doesn’t actually celebrate Christmas in July, if it’s for her well Clary might just be devastated that someone so pretty believes in such a dumb, fake holiday.

“Gift technically,” Maia says making a sort of hand motion. Clary raises a fist in the air in victory in her mind. “A friend is having a big Christmas in July bash and everyone’s supposed to bring an ornament to decorate this tree they bought. It’s kind of dumb, but they’re one of my best friends so I’m playing along.”

Clary practically cries, this girl isn’t just pretty she also thinks Christmas in July is stupid. Clary might have found her dream girl.

“Don’t tell my boss, but I agree that it’s kinda dumb,” she stage whispers which makes Maia giggle.

“Are you legally allowed to say that working here?” she smirks.

Clary just shrugs an innocent little smile on her lips as she pulls her fingers across them in a faux zipping motion. Maia chuckles again.

“It’s a miracle I found this place,” she says running her fingers over a line of varying colored unicorn ornaments. “Even online the ornament stock this time of the year is pretty scarce.”

“Yeah, we’re a godsend,” Clary says without enthusiasm as the door opens and Joy to the World sounds again. “How about I help you narrow this down.” She smiles pulling over the wheeling ladder they use to reach the higher ornaments.

All told it only takes about ten minutes for Maia to pick out an ornament she finds suitable, ultimately going for humor over holiday and settling on a rainbow colored poop emoji.

Clary walks her up to the front and flinches when the door opens twice in quick succession as she’s cashing Maia out.

“Not a fan of the doorbell?” she asks taking her change form Clary.

“It’s all well and good the first five times you hear it, but it grates after a while and you lose the meaning of joy,” Clary explains handing Maia her receipt.

“I get that, the bar I work at on weekends has a jukebox that only plays two songs,” Maia says leaning against the counter. “I’ve reached a point in my life now where if I hear Highway to Hell or Funky Town in any setting outside of work I’m pretty sure I’ll just burst into tears.”

Clary laughs, knowing the feeling. Maia’s eyes crinkle at the side in happiness.

“If I came back here tomorrow with some friends who are also being dragged to this party, would you be working?” she asks giving Clary a poignant once over.

Clary shakes her head and bites her lip, knowing exactly what she’s doing.

“I don’t work on Wednesdays, you’d get Lydia instead,” she says.

“Well, I’m sure Lydia is lovely, but I guess I’ll come in on Thursday then,” Maia says with a smile, the door opens and for the first time all month Clary doesn’t even notice the damn song playing.

“You look cute in your elf costume by the way,” Maia says with a small wave over her shoulder as she heads for the door. Clary just beams at her, personally she thinks she looks insane in her elf costume, but if Maia thinks it’s cute she’ll wear it with pride. “See you Thursday!”

“I look forward to it!” Clary shouts after her and when Joy to the World plays as she opens the door to go Clary thinks the song might just be growing on her finally.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: [alecmagnuslwb](https://alecmagnuslwb.tumblr.com/)


End file.
